


The Show Must Go On

by Moony_Writes



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Awesome Clint Barton, Hurt Peter, Hurt Peter Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Clint Barton, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Dies, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 08:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18936769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moony_Writes/pseuds/Moony_Writes
Summary: Peter has been left in a world without Tony Stark. Left to hurt alone. Or so he thinks.





	The Show Must Go On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SeetheSea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeetheSea/gifts).



> _The Show Must Go On,_
> 
> _The Show Must Go On._
> 
> _Inside My Heart Is Breaking,_
> 
> _My Makeup May Be Flaking_
> 
> _But My Smile Still Stays On._
> 
>  

Peter opened his eyes to see the bright sunlight coming through the window. It hurt his head seeing it. He felt like the days should be grey. The kind of grey that you see in old silent movies. What was the point in colour when that colour was used in the suit?

 

Getting out of bed seemed tedious now. Everything ached and the weight in his chest felt heavier the more the days went on. Except today was different. Today he had to face the classrooms he hated with the people he didn’t care about and the only comfort was that Ned existed and could help him through. May gave him a reassuring hug before he left, and yet he still felt like he was floating. Like his body wasn’t his anymore. Except it was because it wasn’t like he was still dust.

 

To block out the noise of the bus, Peter put in is earphones and turned the music right up. He didn’t want to listen to talks about the event. About  _ Him  _ or the others. He didn’t want to hear about what he had seen with his own eyes. The trees and buildings and cars brushed past the window like a whisper passed along that changed and got confused as it went. Walking into school felt no different. He forced his legs to put one in front of the other and hoped that they would hold out long enough to get him through the halls of people budging and yelling and screaming and pushing and passing and....

 

Ned arrived.

 

It would be okay right?

 

MJ had joined them soon after. They were talking about something to do with math homework or a book or movie or something else Peter had no desire to pay attention to. He felt like he was in a daydream he couldn’t wake up from. There was nothing to keep him going through the day now. What was the point in patrolling when he couldn’t tell  _ Him  _ what he had done? What was the point in going home if he couldn’t go to the lab afterwards and blast AC/DC and eat pizza until he fell asleep at his desk and  _ He  _ took Peter home? At least Flash would have one less reason to tease him now. There could be no internship with a person who had died.

 

Peter believed that the day went slowly on a good day. Today it just felt useless. Everyone was talking but nothing reached his ears. It all felt tiring and he just wanted to go home.

 

When History rolled around, he had ran out of the class.

 

He ran so fast that his head could barely register where he was going. Ned had called out to him, so did the teacher. But he didn’t care. Nothing mattered. His heart was physically breaking. He could feel it. Why did she have to talk about Tony? Why, of everything she could have said, did she choose to do a lesson about Tony? He didn’t realise he had stopped running until strong arms wrapped around his shaking body. He had apparently started crying a while ago and now he couldn’t breathe and the whimpers coming from his mouth didn’t seem natural.

 

“Shh.. Shh I got you Pete. I’m right here.” 

 

Clint.

 

Peter leaned into him as his legs toppled beneath him, taking all his strength with him. He was asked a question which he didn’t have the energy to answer and felt Clint pick him up and hail a cab all whilst trying to calm him down and get him to breathe.

 

Not long after that, Peter was greeted with darkness.

 

“Poor kid could barely stand.”

 

“Can’t Bruce give him any anxiety meds?”

 

“The poor kids heartbroken. Trust me, I know PTSD when I see it.”

 

Peter woke up to hear voices nearby. He was lead down on something that felt really comfortable with a fluffy blanket over the top of him. He felt exhausted, drained and in pain.

 

“M… Mr Barton?” It seemed like his voice didn’t hold out so much either.

 

“Peter! How do you feel?” Clint asked, kneeling beside him.

 

“Terrible”

 

He had just come to realise that Bucky was in the room as well, looking at him with concerned faces. Bucky came over with a glass of water and put it down next to Peter, smiling and ruffling his hair before stepping back. Peter tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. “Thank you Mr Barnes”

 

“Please call me Bucky”

 

Peter just nodded and sat up, taking small sips of his drink when Clint approached him.

 

“I'm sorry if this is bad timing kid,  but I have a little something for you. I… He wanted you to have them.”

 

In his hand were Tony's glasses. Peter wanted to throw up but just placed his drink to the side and took them. He tried to say thank you but his voice wavered and he only opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He carefully put them on, looking up and forward before freezing.

 

“Hey Underoos”

 

Peter jumped back and started shaking immediately, taking them off.

 

“Hey. What's wrong Pete?”

 

“I… He.. Mr.. Mr Stark he…”

 

The two smiled sadly as Clint spoke. “He recorded a message for you. He loved you a lot Pete. Please know that.”

 

Peter looked at him doe-eyed before slowly putting them back on and curling into himself.

 

“Hey Underoos. If you're seeing this I guess that it happened. I'm sorry, but please know that I'm so happy you're alive. That matters most to me right now. I left money in your trust fund so go buy yourself and your Aunt something nice. I know you're going to be sad but you need to smile for me okay? I made this AI so that you can talk to me whenever you want. You're not alone in this.”

 

Peter took a moment before shaking his head and trying to wipe away tears.

 

“I miss you so much Mr Stark”

 

“I'm sure you do kid.”

 

“Please come back… I… I need you” he curled on himself tighter, feeling Steve gently take his hand making sure he didn't hurt himself accidentally.

 

“I know you do. But you need to carry on for me. The show must go on and all that”

 

“B.. But how…”

 

“Look around you and I'm sure you'll find the answer”

 

Peter took off the glasses once more, seeing the smiling faces of his teammates. He took a deep breath before hugging Clint.

 

“Thank you Mr Barton Sir”

 

Clint just laughed and shook his head. “It's alright Pete. It's all okay.”

 

Bucky spoke up, handing him his phone. “Some people named Ned and MJ have been trying to contact you Kid. Take your time. I told them you were safe.”

 

“I'm sure Ned freaked out talking to you” Peter grinned through his tears and wiped them away.

 

“He sounded a little on the happy side”

 

Peter took his phone and opened up the texts, smiling as he read through the messages.

 

Tony may have been his father figure, but he wasn't the only one who cared.

 

He had a reason to live.

 

He had to live. For Tony. For the Avengers. For Ned and MJ. 

 

“On with the show I guess” he sighed.

 

> _ I Face It With A Grin _
> 
> _ I Am Never Giving In _
> 
> _ On With The Show. _
> 
> _ Oh I'll Top The Bill _
> 
> _ I'll Overkill _
> 
> _ I Have To Find A Will To Carry On  _
> 
> _ With The Show... _
> 
>  
> 
> _ The Show Must Go On. _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> This work is dedicated to my good friends Isha, Campbell, Gem, Will, Welsey, Millie and Lewis for getting me through life in general and always helping me when I need them. I wouldn't be even half as happy as I am today without them. They're the ones who help me survive and I couldn't be more grateful.


End file.
